Narrative:

3 out of 4 pushbacks came with request from ramp personnel for brake release prior to clearance from crew. As the crew is strictly adhering to the flight manual procedures for pushback; this request is inappropriate and against what the company mgrs are saying the ramp personnel are trained to do. Ramp personnel are obviously getting a different message than the flight crews with potential safety implications. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that ground personnel are receiving bonuses for on-time departures. As a result; company procedures are repeatedly violated in an effort to get credit for pushing an aircraft on time. Since this time is triggered by parking brake release; an early brake release has become a goal in itself. Reporter stated that the ground crew is to notify the cockpit via headset that their predeparture check is complete. The captain will respond with either 'standby;' or if he has received clearance; 'cleared to push; brakes set.' it is then that ground will communicate; 'roger; release brakes.' reporter stated that he believes the ground crews are attempting to coerce flight crew's to release the parking brake early to achieve their on-time goal.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CAPT REPORTS THAT PUSHBACK CREWS ARE ASKING FLT CREWS FOR BRAKE RELEASE PRIOR TO PUSHBACK CLRNC AND IN VIOLATION OF COMPANY POLICY.

Narrative: 3 OUT OF 4 PUSHBACKS CAME WITH REQUEST FROM RAMP PERSONNEL FOR BRAKE RELEASE PRIOR TO CLRNC FROM CREW. AS THE CREW IS STRICTLY ADHERING TO THE FLT MANUAL PROCS FOR PUSHBACK; THIS REQUEST IS INAPPROPRIATE AND AGAINST WHAT THE COMPANY MGRS ARE SAYING THE RAMP PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED TO DO. RAMP PERSONNEL ARE OBVIOUSLY GETTING A DIFFERENT MESSAGE THAN THE FLT CREWS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT GND PERSONNEL ARE RECEIVING BONUSES FOR ON-TIME DEPARTURES. AS A RESULT; COMPANY PROCEDURES ARE REPEATEDLY VIOLATED IN AN EFFORT TO GET CREDIT FOR PUSHING AN ACFT ON TIME. SINCE THIS TIME IS TRIGGERED BY PARKING BRAKE RELEASE; AN EARLY BRAKE RELEASE HAS BECOME A GOAL IN ITSELF. REPORTER STATED THAT THE GND CREW IS TO NOTIFY THE COCKPIT VIA HEADSET THAT THEIR PREDEPARTURE CHECK IS COMPLETE. THE CAPT WILL RESPOND WITH EITHER 'STANDBY;' OR IF HE HAS RECEIVED CLRNC; 'CLEARED TO PUSH; BRAKES SET.' IT IS THEN THAT GND WILL COMMUNICATE; 'ROGER; RELEASE BRAKES.' REPORTER STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THE GND CREWS ARE ATTEMPTING TO COERCE FLT CREW'S TO RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE EARLY TO ACHIEVE THEIR ON-TIME GOAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.